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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. swing — music
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. root — of a word
  6. board — a committee
  7. ball — a great time
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mark — a grade
  10. root — of a plant
  11. root — the cause
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. board — to get on
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pass — a permit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com